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Teen SRC 2022 – Life as We knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer

Written by Miriam Tang
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I would recommend the book Life as We Knew It written by Susan Beth Pfeffer because it is practical and heavy-hearted. The story begins with a meteor unexpectedly crashing onto the moon and knocking the moon closer to the earth. It might’ve seemed negligible, but according to the book, this caused tsunamis and floods, earthquakes, and volcanoes, which caused the ashes to block the sun. The blazing hot summer suddenly turned to Arctic winter, and people died from freezing temperatures, diseases and starvation. This horrific situation forces Miranda to grow up quickly to save her friends and family, and she inevitably discovers what is truly important in life. 

Most of the story was practical because of the procedures they took to survive this disaster, such as gathering as much food and supplies (candles and batteries), filling up the gas, chopping wood and restricting daily spending. This book is heavy-hearted because most of the story is depressing and despairing. The characters had to sacrifice a lot while struggling to physically and mentally keep going and survive to the very end. “Life as We Knew It” is told in a form of journal entries, and I found it a unique way to narrate the story. Since it’s told in a first-person perspective, it is easier to understand and “experience” the story. 

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Teen SRC 2021 – Better Together by Christine Riccio

Written by Olivia X
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Better Together by Christine Riccio

I’m not gonna wait for the conclusion. I would give Better Together by Christine Riccio a seven out of ten for the writing and a hundred out of ten for the cover. I’m sorry, try to prove me wrong; there are literally two sides to the cover, each illustrating one sister.

The writing itself was more of a short anecdote that I found to be lighthearted and entertaining. There are no really heavy or deep concepts in this book in my opinion, I think it was just a casual, fun, read. That being said, I really loved the writing style and the character development in this book, along with the plot twists. I absolutely loved the contradiction of the two personalities of the sisters too as it made the book extremely satisfying to read. Overall I just think it was a light sort of book, the type that gets you out of a reading slump; I’d give it- oops, that was already covered in the introduction, wasn’t it?

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Teen SRC 2021 – Caraval by Stephanie Garber

Written by Olivia X
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Caraval, a fantasy fiction book written by Stephanie Garber, dives deep into a magical world of puzzles. “Every person has the power to change their fate if they are brave enough to fight for what they desire more than anything.” That is true. But what if you don’t know what you desire the most? What if a mischievous, young sailor takes the place of the most important person in your heart?

This novel is about Scarlett Dragna and her sister, Dontella Dragna. They grew up listening to stories about Caraval, the magical performance that only occurred once a year. Since they were nine years old, Caraval has always been their dream. Now, suddenly, seven years later, Scarlett receives an invitation to Caraval. But is Caraval really the enchanted place everyone thinks it is? And if it really is so magical and innocent, why is everyone there so secretive? Scarlett has to draw a line between illusion and reality, in order to save her sister in time.

This book is SO magical, and I don’t mean just the plot. I read for around five minutes, I swear, and suddenly I finished the whole book. Please do not ask me how that happened; I don’t know myself. But what I do know is that this is the best fantasy book I’ve ever read in my entire life. I have no words for the amount of elegant description of beautiful settings, the captivating way Garber writes about the characters. It was the perfect amount of everything; I really don’t know how else to describe it. The happiness and heartbreak was so carefully balanced, the romantic aspects not overwhelming the plot, and the story itself full of magic.

Normally, I have a “things I didn’t like,” or critique section in my book reviews. Let’s just say, I stared at the computer for ten minutes and couldn’t think of a single piece of criticism to write. The book was amazing.

I’m sure I’ve made this overly clear throughout my book review, but in conclusion, I’d rate this book 10/10. I really hope other people will read the book and like it as much as I did. Also, there’s actually a series to this book, and I’ve got nothing but over-the-top excitement and high expectations for that. I seriously could not recommend this book more, go try it for yourself and hopefully, embark on the same thrilling adventure I went on while reading!

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Teen SRC 2021- Hana Khan Carries On by Uzma Jalaluddin

Written by Inshal
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I opened Hana Khan Carries On by Uzma Jalaluddin expecting a light-hearted romcom with Muslim lingo, fun anecdotes, and maybe a bit of serious discussion on what life is like as a South Asian Canadian Muslim woman. I was not expecting to be punched in the gut with beautiful characters, amazing writing, a fully-developed plot, and just an overall WONDERFUL book that feels like home. It is not often that I will openly rave about a book, (so enjoy it while it lasts) but Hana Khan Carries On deserves every compliment it gets and then some. It quite literally made me tear up. And it made me laugh. SO. MUCH. (Rashid, best and funniest character hands-down, gets all the comedic credit.)

Also, my fears about bad Muslim rep were completely wrong (THANK GOODNESS). Hana Khan Carries On manages to carry with it a nuanced and deep reflection about life as a second-generation immigrant, about Muslim love stories, loss, ambition, and family relationships. Every single plot line is so AMAZING, I am seriously in awe. There is a side plot to appeal to everyone, and even I, a self-proclaimed romance critic, loved every bit of it. The overall feel of the book is more of a classic than any light contemporary romance I’ve ever read (and I admit I haven’t read many, but still) which helps. It offers a rivals-to-lovers slow burn, includes so many twists and turns, offers well-developed side characters and CHARACTER ARCS THAT ARE OUT OF THIS WORLD. 

Anything else I could say would be redundant because I just loved reading this so much. I even finished it in a matter of hours (and will be rereading!). My only criticism is that the resolution wrapped up too quickly and that I could have down with a hundred more pages! *sigh*

Basically: If you haven’t read this book, go read it right now. 10/10, I have found a new favourite. 

P.S. This is not qualified as YA because the protagonist and other characters are in their 20s BUT there is absolutely nothing graphic or inappropriate in the book. In fact, it’s much more benign than some YA I’ve read AHAHAHA, don’t worry about that!

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Teen SRC 2021 – An Emotion of Great Delight by Tahereh Mafi

Written by Inshal
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Have you ever read a book with so much potential only for it to turn out a boring and unappealing romance? Then you know exactly what I feel because An Emotion of Great Delight by Tahereh Mafi turned out to be a great disappointment for me (similar to her other standalone novel A Very Large Expanse of Sea). I think this review will be more of a rant than anything… but if I’m being unduly harsh it’s because this book claims Muslim representation (with a hijabi on the cover!!) but does not deliver. Maybe it’s just the right thing for some Muslims (and I don’t begrudge them for liking it) but it did not do for me.

(This is a side note because it’s not entirely this book’s fault, but why is there not a single book out there with a female Muslim protagonist that does NOT involve romance/boys? This is slowly becoming one of my BIGGEST pet peeves because it implies that Muslim women don’t matter except in correlation to a man, or that romance is the pinnacle of our achievement. Female characters in general are bogged down with unnecessary relationships (in my opinion) but it’s especially apparent with Muslim female characters for some reason. Not to mention that most Muslim women prefer not to date without the intention of marriage like… why purposely include it even then? It’s all just very messy and unrealistic.)

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Teen Book Review- Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco

Written by Inshal
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Stalking Jack the Ripper - Maniscalco, Kerri

Dark historical fiction and mystery books are definitely my favourite genre to read, and I was so excited when I found Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco series. Don’t let the horrendous covers fool you! (I was wary at first, too.) But now that I’m two books in—with two more books to go—I’m completely in love with this series! By the way, I won’t be doing a synopsis thing, but you can look for that in the link above.

Now, onto what this book has to offer: When the first scene of a book is that of a Victorian lady cutting up a body in her Uncle’s lab, you know it’s bound to be interesting. I will say, however, that the gruesome details (such as how a liver feels like in one’s hand) can get unappealing… I actually enjoyed them, but included a disclaimer because this kind of thing depends on the reader. The scientific gore (for lack of a better term) isn’t overdone though, and the fact that the main character, Audrey Rose, can do things like autopsies and talk about them reveals stuff about her personality we might not have gotten otherwise. Basically, yes there is blood-related stuff in this book but not too much (for me, at least).

To expand more on my former point, Audrey Rose is a wonderfully written main character. She has her flaws, but is still very lovable and easy to relate to. I adore how scientific minded she is—most books that boast about an intelligent female character don’t actually show that. Another testament to how rounded of a character Audrey Rose is: she is allowed to have emotions. I find too much of the “strong and smart female mc” trope means the character isn’t allowed to feel much and… like what is up with that? A character should be able to feel heavy emotions and sympathy without that detracting from their ability to be professional.

The book was off to a great start…and then we meet Thomas Cresswell. His job as a love interest in the plot is too obvious from the start, and of course he acts mysterious and arrogant, too. I did warm up to him, however, by the end of the book. His dialogue is too funny and witty! (I cannot anymore with charming book characters.)

If it’s not obvious already, I loved this book a lot. I don’t usually do series because they tend to drag on and get complicated, but STJTR immediately made me want to pick up the next book. Spoiler: It was just as, if not more, amazing. (Review on that coming up next!)

There are some minor setbacks, of course, but I wouldn’t discount the whole book based on them. The writing, for example, gets a bit tiresome at points. Audrey Rose describes every step it takes for her to get from one place to another, which is especially annoying when it’s an action-packed scene and I want to get to the next important bit. Also, there were some scenes that repeated incessantly throughout the book, which dragged the plot. For example, if I have to listen to Nathaniel tell Audrey Rose not to worry their father one more time…

Still, the overall setting and plot of this book was great. The mystery aspect was good (although I guessed a little too early for me to be completely impressed). Plus, I fell in love with the characters and how they were written. A solid 9/10 from me.

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Teen Book Review- The Cousins by Karen McManus

Written by Inshal
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I’ve read every single one of Karen McManus‘s books, starting with One of Us Is Lying, so when I saw her newest–The Cousins, I knew I had to read it too. (It’s already been established from my other reviews that I like mysteries. 😀 )

Milly, Jonah, and Aubrey are the Story cousins, whose parents, along with uncle Archer, were disinherited by their grandmother, Mildred Story, twenty-four years ago (via a cryptic letter). Milly, Jonah, and Aubrey barely know each other, and have never even met their grandmother but that all changes when a letter from her arrives, requesting their presence back at the family island. Thinking this may be their chance to re-enter the Story will, Milly, Jonah, and Aubrey’s parents all force their children to accept.

But things are not what they seem at the island, and as clues start popping up around them, the cousins try to unbury their family’s dark history.

I had seriously high hopes for this book and I blame it on Agatha Christies’ And Then They Were None and on We Were Liars by E. Lockhart. I expected the ‘creepy island where everyone gets murdered one by one’ trope, but McManus played it differently–the island is a tourist spot, crowded with other people. There also isn’t any thriller aspect to the story, which, I admit, disappointed me.

If examined as a mystery, however, it passes the bar. I did not see the end coming, like at all (in a good way), but once they had solved it, I found it a bit…lukewarm. It’s not bad or average, but it won’t knock your socks off, either is what I’m saying.

Something I do always appreciate with all her books, though (and it shone particularly well in this one) is the characters. Even with the multiple perspectives, we are given so much depth that I couldn’t help but falling a little in love with each of them! The side characters, too! Like no spoilers, but there is one side character in particular that was super well-written. In regards to the writing, I found the plot to advance at a very good pace, with a perfect proportion of description and dialogue.

All in all, if you enjoyed any of her other books, you will love this one too. 9/10.

P.S. See? I CAN write a normal sized review. 😀

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Teen Book Review- Allegedly by Tiffany D. Jackson

Written by Inshal
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Allegedly - Jackson, Tiffany

TL; DR: This is the first book I am at a loss on how to review. 4 or 9 /10.

So. I don’t know how to start the review for Allegedly by Tiffany D. Jackson and that’s a first. I usually have a million of things to say (notice the average length of my reviews, hahaha) but for this one, I am still grappling.

Before I go into that, the premise.

Mary B. Addison killed a baby. Allegedly. She didn’t say much in that first interview with detectives, and the media filled in the only blanks that mattered: A white baby had died while under the care of a churchgoing black woman and her nine-year-old daughter. The public convicted Mary and the jury made it official. But did she do it? She wouldn’t say. Mary survived six years in baby jail before being dumped in a group home. The house isn’t really “home”—no place where you fear for your life can be considered a home. Home is Ted, who she meets on assignment at a nursing home. There wasn’t a point to setting the record straight before, but now she’s got Ted—and their unborn child—to think about. When the state threatens to take her baby, Mary must find the voice to fight her past. And her fate lies in the hands of the one person she distrusts the most: her Momma. No one knows the real Momma. But who really knows the real Mary?

Just from that you know that this thriller is going to be intense. And it really was.

First of all, why is this a YA novel? The protag is 16 years old but the topics in here are HEAVY and well… don’t open it expecting your typical YA stuff. Although that isn’t exactly fair either, because it does have a bunch of your typical YA stuff.

To give (some) structure to the review, I’ll break it down like this. Characters: 9/10. The arcs are strong, and the main characters are EXTREMELY complex and well-written. The side characters on the other hand are lacking, and stereotypically so. Writing: 7/10 Some lines catch you off-guard with their beauty but the overall style was just average. Romance: 8/10. I am still iffy about the romance, but oh well, it’s YA! Importance/Issues Discussed: 10/10. Now that’s one thing I can’t criticize Allegedly for. It takes the most uncomfortable, least-discussed, nitty gritty of the world and forces you to grapple with it. Just… astounding.

Notice how I didn’t rate the plot. Because the plot is *continuous screaming*. Without any spoilers, this is my plea to authors everywhere: DO NOT INCLUDE A PLOT TWIST IF THE ONLY THING IT’S ADDING TO THE BOOK IS SHOCK VALUE.

The ending felt incomplete and it was a long way for me to go to end up unsatisfied. I can’t give the book an overall rating because it’s either a 4/10 or a 9/10. Take from this review (which ended up being long despite what I said at the beginning, super sorry!) what you will and go forth with indecisiveness on whether to read Allegedly or not. 🙂 You’re welcome.

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Teen Book Review – I Am The Messenger by Markus Zusak

Written by Inshal
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I Am the Messanger

TL; DR 8.5/10 only because it’s not my style of book (like The Book Thief was), but do give it a read just in case it is yours.

I’ll be honest and say that I only started I Am The Messenger because Markus Zusak is the one that wrote The Book Thief. I wasn’t expecting the books to be completely alike, but considering they have the same author, I did expect some similarity. In that regard, I was disappointed.

I Am The Messenger is very different from The Book Thief. The Book Thief’s beauty is apparent and classy, it’s like a stunning painting on the wall. I Am The Messenger has beauty, too, but it’s inconspicuous and not obvious at all. To continue my metaphor, if the Book Thief is a revered masterpiece, I Am The Messenger is a patch of graffiti, but like… talented graffiti.

Awkward metaphors aside, here’s the disclaimer: DO NOT PICK THIS BOOK UP EXPECTING “THE BOOK THIEF” 2.0

Now that we’ve got that settled… Ed Kennedy is the main character in this book. He is an underage cab driver, hobbyist card player, and completely in love with his best friend Audrey. He lives in a shack (his words, not mine) with the Doorman (foul-smelling but beloved dog). In other words, Ed Kennedy is a deadbeat at the ripe old age of 19.

But then Ed Kennedy stops a robbery. Which isn’t much of a feat, really, since the bank robber was almost as incompetent as Ed himself, but it does end up changing his life. Because that’s when the first ace arrives in the mail.

On the cards, there are simple codes. Sometimes addresses, sometimes the names of movies or places… but the goal is obvious, at times even simple. Ed has to make an impact. Doing good (or bad when needed) Ed becomes the Messenger.

The question remains… who is behind Ed’s mission?.

My review, finally: This book is the kind of good that slaps you in the face five pages from the ending. There are pieces of gold comedy in there– it made me laugh out loud. There are also some very ugly scenes, scenes that are uncomfortable and seem to serve no purpose than making the reader insane. But like I said, it’s really good. (I can think of no other way to describe it, sorry!!) The romance is shockingly well-written, and doesn’t take up too much of the book, which is always a plus. I’d definitely recommend it, but with some pointers: you’ll be confused. You’ll want to stop reading, and send an email to the author involving a lot of question marks. You’ll wonder at the slang. But at the end, if you stick with it, you’ll appreciate it for the gem it is, and the message (pun intended) it carries.

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Teen SRC 2020- A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson

Written by Inshal
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A Good Girl's Guide to Murder - Jackson, Holly

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson seemed like an interesting read (the cover is amazing, and i judged the book by it, fight me 😉 ). But then, the synopsis ended up disappointing me. It sounded like the book was a mash-up of literally every other YA murder mystery. We have our usual ‘good’ white girl protagonist, our suspect from a marginalized community, with a name like ‘Sal Singh’ to make it extra obvious. We have the popular/mean girl murder victim (Andie) and the lazy/racist reporter. Then, of course, Ravi. The younger brother of previously mentioned murderer that killed his girlfriend then himself (Sal Singh). Of course, Ravi is the cute but very reserved and intense love interest.

The first quarter of this book made me want to chuck it at a wall. But I kept going and… it improved. BY A LOT.

The characters stayed flat. Only Pippa (protag) had some sort of character arc, and even that was half-hearted. No, the only thing that redeemed this book was the mystery. It was SHOCKINGLY well-planned and thought out. I didn’t guess the murderer and wouldn’t have in a thousand years, but IT MADE SENSE.

The romance ended up growing on me, and the relationships between the characters are okay. I don’t have much else to say, so the rating: 8/10. Boring and stereotyped characters, but BRILLIANT mystery. Enjoyable, and suspenseful, but seriously– too many cliches.

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